


Warm On A Cold Night

by LyricalPary



Category: 5 Seconds of Summer (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Awkwardness, Based on a song, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Kissing, M/M, Snowed In, Valentine's Day, but would that make this a song fic? I hope not
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-14
Updated: 2016-02-14
Packaged: 2018-05-20 13:17:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,824
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6007627
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LyricalPary/pseuds/LyricalPary
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In retrospect, Luke probably shouldn’t have offered to give Ashton a ride. He knows that now, thanks to the awkward silence and the nerves in the pit of his belly. But at the same time, what was he supposed to do? Leave Ashton standing out there in the harsh cold of winter? Of course not. Good people don’t do such things, and Luke likes to think of himself as a fairly good guy.</p><p>(Or, Luke and Ashton get stuck during a snow storm. But, maybe it's not as terrible as it seems.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Warm On A Cold Night

**Author's Note:**

  * For [okayrichie](https://archiveofourown.org/users/okayrichie/gifts).



> Okay, so, just like last year on this *special* date, I wrote a fic last minute. 
> 
> Just because.
> 
> Happy Valentine's Day~! (▰˘◡˘▰)

* * *

 

The dead silence within the vehicle is almost too much to bear.

Technically, the music on the radio is playing loudly enough for them to hear it but not too loud for it to be obnoxious, yet it still isn’t enough. It isn’t enough to cover up the fact that the music is simply to hide the silence between them, because neither of them have anything to say. Or, maybe they have _tons_ of things to say, just nothing that they’re willing to let slip past their lips. Not yet, anyway.

Therefore, they remain in silence, because silence is also safety. As long as they keep quiet and ignore the thoughts in their heads and the unspoken words that need to be said, perhaps everything will go according to plan.

Maybe.

In retrospect, Luke probably shouldn’t have offered to give Ashton a ride. He knows that now, thanks to the awkward silence and the nerves in the pit of his belly. But at the same time, what was he supposed to do? Leave Ashton standing out there in the harsh cold of winter? Of course not. Good people don’t do such things, and Luke likes to think of himself as a fairly good guy.

Besides, Ashton had no way of getting home by himself. After somehow losing his keys and being unable to locate them no matter how hard he searched, Luke found the guy leaning against his car and cursing at nothing in particular, though he was probably cursing at the few feet of snow on the ground. Ashton always curses at the snow, perhaps even thrice as often as the average person. He isn’t usually this clumsy, though. It’s all thanks to the change in their schedules at the bar, due to the oncoming storm that caused the place to have to close earlier than usual. Ashton doesn’t like to break routine because it throws him off. At least, that’s what he claims.

That little predicament is basically what leads them to where they are now, driving through the thick snow in Luke’s crappy pickup truck, which he can proudly say is still going strong. But Luke isn’t currently thinking about his truck, the music, or the thick snow that he tries carefully driving through. At the moment, he’s thinking about the hesitance that Ashton showed when offered a ride home. He’s thinking of how Ashton would rather stand in the freezing cold than deal with being stuck in the same car as Luke for a mere twenty or so minutes, and that’s what is hurtful. It’s very hurtful, actually, but Luke will force himself to forget about that for now.

“Left?” he asks before putting on the appropriate blinker.

“Yeah, then an immediate right.”

Luke nods and does as he’s instructed, but truth be told, he hasn’t forgotten the direction to Ashton’s place of residence. Hell, he could probably get there with both eyes closed, though that obviously wouldn’t be advised. He only asks for the occasional direction because it’s an excuse to talk to each other without approaching the danger zone. And as long as Luke can talk to Ashton about _something_ , then he considers it a definite win-win.

But just like that, the awkward silence returns to them. Ashton continues staring out of the passenger window while Luke keeps his eyes forward, squinting a little to see beyond the snow that is beginning to fall more rapidly by the second. The storm is approaching and they won’t be able to see _anything_ in a matter of minutes, but Luke is used to storms and he’s sure that they’ll have plenty of time to reach their destination.

As the current song ends and the next one begins, a smooth voice on the radio says:

_“Okay, it’s 3:17 AM. You’re turned in with your main man, Tommy Inglethorpe. This next song’s gonna keep you warm on a cold, cold night. So if you don’t got a lover, just close your eyes and listen to Honne.”_

All of a sudden, it occurs to Luke that he fucking hates this song. He really, really does. That’s why he clears his throat as discreetly as he can and reaches for the radio dial as soon as the first verse begins. He turns the dial to the left and gets nothing but static, thanks to the brewing storm outside. He tries turning it back to the right and gets the same result. It seems that the first station is the only one that actually works right now, and as the song leads into the chorus, Luke gets even more frustrated as heat begins rising to his cheeks.

_“You can keep me warm on a cold night, warm on a cold, cold night…”_

Fed up, Luke reaches out to turn the damn thing off and deal with the total silence, but he’s cut short when his passenger speaks up.

“Leave it,” Ashton says, but as soon as Luke glances at him with wide eyes, he averts his gaze to the window again. “I mean, I don’t mind. It’s not a bad song. S’nice, actually.”

Not knowing what to say to that or how to react, Luke nods and leaves the radio as it is. Evidently, he’s the only one making a big deal out of a stupid song. Maybe he’s the only one who finds it extremely awkward to listen to mushy love songs while in the confines of a car with the person that he used to have a thing with, until they broke it off. The same person that he began to fall in love with—well, _is_ in love with, not that he’d admit it to himself or anyone else. Why admit it when the object of his affection doesn’t feel the same way? After all, if their feelings were ever mutual, then Ashton wouldn’t have ended things before they got serious.

Remembering that one’s feelings are unrequited is rather upsetting and it causes Luke to grip the steering wheel a little tighter. It already majorly sucks that they work at the same place and are forced to see each other every day, and it’s hard enough, watching Ashton flirt with countless men and women because it’s his job as a bartender to get as many tips as he can. If he decides to go home with one of those lucky people, then that’s his business and Luke shouldn’t care, because they’ve had their fun. And now Ashton is done with him, more or less.

Yeah, it’s truly upsetting. But maybe not as upsetting as when Luke realizes that he’s just a few yards from crashing into a tree.

“Look out!”

“Shit—!”

It just might be a miracle that they don’t hit the tree straight-on despite the icy road, or maybe it’s due to Luke’s truck having the appropriate wheels for such weather. Whatever the case, he manages to save them from such a catastrophe just in time by swerving to the side and coming to a complete stop a moment later. It’s also a good thing that both of them are following the law and wearing seatbelts, otherwise they would’ve been launched through the window shield, no doubt.

By the time that the shock and the panic wears off from having such a close call, they’re staring at each other with wide eyes. The song on the radio comes to an end with the final lines of the outro, and then the signal is lost, leaving them in static. In an instant, Ashton’s expression shifts from relief to sheer anger.

“Are you out of your mind? You could’ve had us _killed_! What the fuck, Luke?”

Still surprised by the near-death experience himself, Luke can only stutter and continue staring back into Ashton’s angry eyes. It takes a few more seconds for him to wrap his head around it all, and then he’s blurting out apologies even faster than his mind works.

“I-I’m sorry! I’m so, so, so sorry I didn’t even—I didn’t see it, I swear I didn’t see it. I didn’t see _anything_ , just like I can’t see anything now…”

There’s truth in those words, and Ashton realizes it when he looks around but can’t see anything, either. In fact, not even the tree is in view. So much snow is falling that it’s impossible for them to see more than just a few feet in front of them, and who knows how far they’ve wandered from the main road. Maybe they’re lucky that Ashton’s apartment is just on the outskirts of town, otherwise they’d be at risk of having other cars drive off the road and crash into them. But at the same time, who would be stupid enough to drive through a snow storm at three in the morning? Besides them, _who_?

This also means that there’s no way they can call for help, since no one would dare risk such a thing. In other words, they’re on their own.

“Fuck,” Ashton mutters, apparently realizing the same thing. “Does this mean that we’re stranded? We’re stranded, aren’t we? In the middle of a goddamn snow storm—on _Valentine’s Day_ , no less! I can’t believe this.”

While Ashton begins ranting to himself about how he should’ve stayed home instead of going into work earlier in the night, Luke tries to think rationally about the sticky situation that they’ve found themselves in. It’s not the first time that he’s been stuck somewhere because of a snow storm, but it _is_ the first time that he’s been stuck in his own truck with the guy that he has feelings for. Surely something good can come out of this, right?

Selfish thoughts. Those are selfish thoughts and Luke will not welcome them further into his mind. Not right now.

Instead, now would be a good time to provide comfort to his unwilling companion, who is clearly beginning to panic again.

“It’s alright, don’t panic, we’ll—”

“I’m not panicking. Do I look like I’m panicking to you?”

“Okay… but what I’m trying to say is that it’s gonna be alright. We’ll just have to wait for the storm to pass and then we’ll be on our way.”

“And how long will that take?”

Luke pauses to think on it. “I… don’t know. Depends on how bad the storm is.”

It’s clearly not the answer that Ashton had been hoping for, because he lets out a long groan and his head falls back against the seat. Luke doesn’t point out that Ashton is essentially throwing a tantrum, because if he were in Ashton’s place and found himself stuck in a small space with a guy he didn’t like—on Valentine’s Day, nonetheless—then he’d be upset, too. Who knows, maybe Ashton has loads of plans later on today and needs to get his rest or something. Maybe he has a Valentine— _of course_ he has one, he’s Ashton. Charming, funny, beautiful Ashton Irwin. So, so beautiful.

Luke hates that his mind always ends up wandering back to thoughts of Ashton’s beauty, Ashton’s charm, Ashton’s this and that and whatever else. It’s exhausting and does nothing to improve his situation in the slightest, and it certainly won’t improve _this_ situation.

“Can you at least turn the heater back on? It’s cold.”

It’s those words that interrupts Luke’s thoughts, which he’s glad for. It’s good to have something to do in order to keep his mind off the obvious, so he nods and attempts to start the truck again. However, because the truck sometimes really hates Luke, it chooses this moment not to obey his commands. Again and again Luke tries to start the engine but to no avail. The piece of junk is just too old for this type of treatment and Luke really needs to get a new car, but he will admit that he’s too attached to this vehicle that has taken him to countless destinations since the year that he turned eighteen. Still, that was then and this is now.

“It’s… it’s not working,” he confesses, giving up the task after trying once more. He sighs, defeated. “It usually does on the first three tries, but…”

Ashton lets out another long, tired groan filled with agony and despair.

“Fantastic.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be. It’s not your fault.”

“Huh?”

“I said… it’s not your fault,” Ashton repeats a little louder. He spares Luke a brief glance before staring at the roof again. “ _I’m_ sorry. I shouldn’t be… bitching at you when you were kind enough to give me a ride in the first place, just because I was foolish and lost my keys. I mean, sure, we’re stranded somewhere off the road and there’s no telling when we’ll be able to leave, but. Yeah. Sorry.”

An apology is definitely not what Luke had been expecting, but he also isn’t too surprised. He knows that Ashton is a really, really nice person beneath their awkward interactions and his foul mood, which is only caused by the events of this night. Normally, he’s all smiles and giggles, especially when it comes to showing customers a good time. But he does it because he _enjoys_ it, not just because he has to.

Luke could really use one of those signature smiles, right about now. He knows for a fact that seeing Ashton smile even once tonight will make him forget all about their unfortunate predicament, but to be honest, neither of them have any reason to be smiling.

“S’fine,” Luke replies, though it’s a bit delayed. “Couldn’t just leave you stranded out there, could I? And I know that if it were me out there instead, you would’ve done the same thing. Or not, though I totally wouldn’t blame you.”

The latter is meant to be a joke, but Ashton doesn’t laugh. He simply shakes his head and mutters:

“Don’t say that.”

Their eyes meet for a brief moment that feels like so much longer, then Ashton looks away first. Because there’s nothing left to say, neither of them say anything and the unbearable silence returns. All that they can do now is wait, so wait they do.

They wait, and they wait, and they wait.

There’s no telling how much time passes by, accompanied only by the sound of the whirling winds caused by the snow storm that gently rocks Luke’s truck. He could always pass the time by taking out his phone and playing a game or seeing if he can get a signal, but it feels wrong to do that, for some reason. After all, Ashton isn’t using his phone. His eyes are closed and his mouth is shut, arms folded across his own torso as an attempt to preserve as much body heat as he can. It doesn’t seem to be working, since he’s visibly shivering now and it gets worse with each minute that passes. Soon enough, his teeth are chattering too and it’s plain to see that he’s suffering.

Luke doesn’t really think before he speaks, he just speaks.

“Here, take my coat,” he offers, already beginning to remove his arms from the sleeves.

However, Ashton shakes his head.

“It’s okay. Don’t need it.”

“But you’re shivering…”

“So?”

“So you’re obviously really cold and your own jacket is way too thin.”

“I’m fine, Luke. Really, I am.”

For the first time this evening, Luke is the one who groans and loses his patience.

“Do you always have to be so stubborn?”

Ashton snorts and rolls his eyes. “Yes, actually, I do. I’m a Cancer and Cancers are stubborn little crabs, for your information.”

“In case you’ve forgotten, I’m a Cancer, too,” Luke points out. “But I’m also smart enough to keep warm instead of willingly freezing my ass off, just to prove a point. Now, take my jacket before you get frost bite or something.”

“No.”

“Fine.”

Deciding that it isn’t worth the argument, Luke drops the subject. He also snuggles into himself and basks in the warmth provided by his big, comfortable coat and the fluffy beanie on his head. In contrast, Ashton isn’t wearing a beanie and his thin leather jacket clearly isn’t giving him any warmth at all. In fact, his hands aren’t even protected by gloves—a stupid mistake made on his part, but what can Luke expect from a guy born and raised on the west coast? It’s surprising that this stubborn Californian boy is still alive, since he really doesn’t fit in.

On the other hand, Luke has dealt with cold weather for the majority of his life so far. Though the tip of his nose is pink and his cheeks are cold, he’s used to it and it doesn’t bother him too much. Unlike Ashton, who is slowly but gradually turning into an actual snow man. He’ll give in eventually, though. He always does.

No more than five minutes later, Ashton finally cracks. The whining sound that he makes is _priceless_.

“ _Luke_ …”

“Okay, okay.”

Without another word, Luke proceeds in removing his jacket and handing it over to Ashton, who puts it on so fast that it’s almost comical. He’s still shaking by the time that he manages to successfully zip it up and cover himself with the hood, and looking at him now, hunched up in the too-big coat, he looks fairly _small_. So small, cute, and much comfier than before, if his satisfied sighing is anything to go by. Even though it means that Luke is not as warm as before, he’ll survive in his fluffy sweater made of the thickest fabric. Also, this sight is definitely worth it.

“You’re welcome,” he says, not even attempting to hide his grin.

“Thanks,” Ashton murmurs, eyes cast down at his lap and his shaking legs. “I feel… a little bad now.”

Luke frowns, tilting his head. “Why’s that?”

“Well, I’ve taken your coat and now you’re going to be cold. What if you get sick because of me? I’d have to take your shifts at the bar and get yelled at all night because I wouldn’t be fast enough on my own. Even boss would yell at me!”

Ashton’s genuine concern for being yelled at is more amusing than it probably should be, prompting Luke to laugh at his rambling. But because he doesn’t have a solution, he shrugs.

“Guess we’ll just have to hope that it doesn’t happen?”

Even so, Ashton shakes his head. “No, no. I don’t wanna be responsible for your illness. How about we take turns wearing the coat?”

“Eh, seems excessive. I’ll be fine like this.”

“But it’s _your_ coat, you should wear it, too.”

“I want you to wear it, though.”

“My goodness. Now who’s being stubborn?”

Luke grins. “Well, I _am_ a Cancer.”

They manage to hold their gaze for a few seconds before both of them start laughing, unable to contain it any longer. Seeing Ashton smiling and laughing like this, Luke knows that he had been right. It makes him temporarily forget that they’re stuck in the middle of a blizzard, sitting in an old truck that doesn’t want to start. It makes him forget that things between them are supposed to be awkward, because Ashton just wants to be friends and Luke wants to give Ashton the world. And so for this brief moment in time, they are content.

They are happy.

“I think I know of a way that we can both keep warm,” Ashton announces.

“Yeah?”

“Yeah. Do you trust me?”

It’s an odd and random question, that’s for sure. But that’s the only reason that Luke’s response is delayed by a second or two. It takes him by surprise, but he already knows the answer to that question. He’s always known the answer.

“Yes,” he answers without another moment to waste, nodding for emphasis. “I do.”

Smiling again, Ashton says nothing more. He unbuckles his seatbelt and suddenly begins scooting closer to Luke, reducing the small distance between them until he is pressed firmly into Luke’s side. All that Luke can do is sit there in confusion as two arms wrap around his waist, and his heart thumps rapidly in his chest when Ashton’s head is resting against his shoulder, the loose curls at the top of his head tickling Luke’s chin.

They’ve done much more than this over the past handful of months, but they’ve never done _this_. Somehow, Luke is almost equally as excited as he’d get whenever they were about to have sex. Only Ashton can have such an effect on him.

“Saw this on a movie once,” Ashton explains, speaking in a hushed tone for whatever reason. But they’re so close that Luke is still able to hear every single word that comes from his lips. “We’re sharing body heat, and it’s supposed to be even more effective with skin contact, but y’know… this is good, too. Right?”

Suddenly more nervous than he cares to admit, Luke gulps before nodding in agreement.

“Right.”

Regardless of how Luke feels on the inside, he has to admit that Ashton’s plan is working a little bit. Just a little, but the difference can still be recognized. In spite of the snow storm, Luke feels warm and cozy in Ashton’s embrace. He feels safe and protected. He feels happier and happier with every second that passes them by, so happy that he can ignore the underlying sad thoughts that threaten to ruin this moment, because of course he knows that it’s temporary and that Ashton is simply trying to keep him warm on a cold night.

It doesn’t mean anything else.

It doesn’t, it doesn’t, _it doesn’t_.

Who really knows how much time passes, Luke just knows that he needs to break the silence before he ends up saying something stupid. But the tragic part is that he breaks the silence by saying something stupid anyway.

“Kind of ironic, isn’t it?”

“Hm?”

“Us,” Luke explains, “and how we’re not together anymore but the shitty weather has forced us to be together again. I mean, it’s almost like the weather _wants_ us together or something!”

It’s meant to be a half-joke, though it doesn’t exactly come off that way and it’s not all that funny. Although at first he’s met with further silence, Ashton eventually does reply. Sadly, he doesn’t react in the way that Luke had hoped, though to be honest, Luke doesn’t know what he’s hoping for. He’d just wanted to break the silence.

Ashton sighs and starts off with, “Listen, Luke…”

Knowing that it can’t be good, Luke doesn’t want to hear it. He also doesn’t like that Ashton starts to pull away, so he quickly shakes his head and tries to retract his statement. He also wishes that he could rewind time, just to enjoy their cuddle a little longer before he had to go and ruin it with his big mouth.

“I-I didn’t mean it that way,” he blurts out, though he’s not entirely sure of his own words or what he means by them. “I was just saying that it’s a strange coincidence, yeah? You losing your keys, me being the last one to leave the bar and seeing that you needed help, then us getting stuck in this storm? I don’t know, I just thought it was amusing. Have I upset you? I didn’t mean to upset you, really, I didn’t. I was just saying—”

Luke doesn’t get a chance to finish that sentence when Ashton gently presses his index finger to Luke’s lips, which he has done a few times before but always under different circumstances, particularly of the sexual nature. This time, the context is different so it doesn’t get Luke excited. He’s still so worried that he has said the wrong thing.

“I’m not upset,” Ashton tells him, and Luke knows that he’s telling the truth. He can hear it in the soft tone of his voice and see it in the sparkling beauty of Ashton’s bright eyes. “I mean it.”

When it becomes clear that Luke understands, Ashton slowly lowers his finger. He gives Luke a sad smile, or maybe it’s a wary smile, or something that just isn’t his normal smile and it doesn’t provide Luke with the relief that Ashton probably hopes that it does. It just leaves him confused. Perhaps this is what leads him to ask what he does.

“What happened to us, Ashton?”

If the first question didn’t upset Ashton, then Luke is positive that this one does. He catches when Ashton falters for a split second, his smile dropping from his face before he lowers his head and begins thinking for a moment on how to answer the question. In the end, he chuckles softly and looks up to gaze into Luke’s eyes once more.

“We had a lot of fun, didn’t we?” he asks in that hushed tone again.

Luke slowly nods. “We did, and I thought that… well, I thought… that it would turn into something more.”

Ashton hums in response, and again it takes him a moment to reply.

“I can’t stay here. You know that, right?”

Again, Luke is utterly confused by the statement.

“What do you mean?”

“ _Here_ ,” Ashton says, stressing the word and gesturing to the window with his arm. “This town. I can’t stay here forever. Eventually, I’ll… I’ll go back to Cali where I belong, where the sun always shines and the people are even stranger than they are here. As much as I love to travel and explore, and as much as I’ve loved being here despite the shitty weather, I always go back home eventually. I can’t stay, Luke. That’s why I broke it off with you. It became too… real.”

It’s not the first time that Luke has heard words like these. He’s known since the very beginning that Ashton’s trip to town is only temporary, and as a matter of fact, he had stopped here on his way to someplace else just to refill his car with fuel. Needing a night’s rest and finding this place intriguing, Ashton ended up staying for nearly a year. Luke doesn’t know why, because this place is as boring and cold as it gets.

But for whatever reason, Ashton stayed. Soon enough he’s going to leave again and Luke doesn’t know how soon, but he also doesn’t like to think about it. He knew what he was getting himself into when he decided that he’s attracted to Ashton and wanted to pursue him for certain reasons. It’s not Ashton’s fault that Luke caught feelings.

Speaking of feelings, that last sentence in Ashton’s explanation is something that Luke _hasn’t_ heard before. Maybe he shouldn’t get his hopes up or jump to conclusions, but that’s exactly what his brain decides to do. Why? Because Ashton didn’t break things off due to not feeling the same, he broke things off because he _does_ feel the same way about Luke, even if he thinks that he shouldn’t because he can’t stay. Knowing this sparks a bit of hope in Luke, because his feelings are requited.

They really are.

“Say something,” Ashton mutters, since Luke hasn’t said a word yet.

There are many things that Luke wants to say. So many things with so little vocabulary to express them. But maybe it doesn’t matter, maybe there are only three words that can possibly express how he feels with the most amount of accuracy and sincerity, and Luke doesn’t stop himself from blurting them out.

“I love you.”

Having not expected such honesty and a random confession of love, Ashton’s eyes go wide with shock. He recovers quickly enough, glancing down at nothing in particular and taking several deep breaths. He shakes his head before speaking again.

“Dammit, Luke… You’re not making this any easier!”

It’s true and Luke knows it. What’s the point in confessing how he feels to a guy who’s just going to skip town someday, leaving without a single trace? But what’s even truer is that he _has_ left a trace. Ashton’s fingerprints are all over Luke’s heart, his scent is in Luke’s pillowcases and his sheets, and everything else about him has been stored within Luke’s memory. So no, he isn’t making things easier by saying those three words, but he also knows that if he doesn’t, he’ll forever regret it even when Ashton is long gone.

That’s why Luke shrugs on the matter.

“Who said anything about making things easier? Nothing is ever easy, Ashton. Choosing to do and say things because they’re _easy_ is just like taking a shortcut through life, and you know what happens to people who take shortcut after shortcut instead of doing things the harder way? They become just like Kelsey Jenner.”

“It’s… It’s Kylie.”

“What?”

For whatever reason, Ashton starts to laugh. He laughs so much that it brings tears to his eyes and makes his face go all red, and even though Luke is confused because he thought that they were having a Very Serious conversation, he has to admit that the other’s reaction is cute as fuck. By the time that Ashton has calmed down and gone quiet again, he has a look in his eye that Luke doesn’t quite understand.

Suddenly, Ashton lets out one of those long, tired groans once more.

“Oh my god, _why_ do you have to be so cute and funny? Why couldn’t you just be a typical asshole who never gives a damn?” He’s actually pouting now, which is another irresistibly cute look on him. In a quieter tone, Ashton adds, “And why did you have to make me fall for you?”

Rhetorical or not, Luke doesn’t know how to answer any of those questions, especially not the last one. But if one thing is for sure, he knows how to make Ashton laugh. Intentionally or accidentally, he can do that one thing and he does it well. So, he shrugs again and answers with a dopey smile:

“Maybe it’s a Cancer thing?”

It works like a charm. Of course it does, and Ashton is back to laughing that beautiful laugh, though not as hard as before. This time it’s a soft laugh, one that tickles Luke from the inside out. Ashton doesn’t laugh as long as he had the first time, either. As it dies down, he stares back into Luke’s eyes and does something that takes the younger man by complete surprise.

Ashton kisses him. Not just a peck on the lips, but a _real_ kiss, one that requires Luke to move his lips and one that makes his cold toes curl up in his shoes. It’s a kiss that takes his breath away and makes him feel warm inside, despite the storm raging on outside. It’s perfect, basically.

When Ashton eventually pulls away, he sighs and rests his forehead on Luke’s shoulder.

“This is torture,” he murmurs. “It really, really is.”

Luke knows exactly what he’s referring to. It’s torturous to have feelings for someone when you never meant to stay in the first place, and it’s even more painful to know that the feeling is mutual. They’re so close to having each other and yet so far away.

That’s when Luke is hit with a brilliant idea.

“Well, it doesn’t have to be,” he says a moment later. “What if… I went with you?”

Ashton lifts his head from Luke’s shoulder, frowning in confusion.

“What?”

“To California,” Luke explains, suddenly filled with excitement, “and wherever else you choose to go on your next journey. I’d go with you, Ashton. I’d follow you anywhere, if you wanted me to.”

Ashton stares at him for several seconds, shocked.

“Wait, you’re… serious?” He quickly shakes his head and looks down again. “No, I could never ask you to do such a thing.”

“You don’t have to! I _want_ to go with you. Honestly, I do. We could see the world together, wouldn’t that be amazing?”

“Travel the world? Luke, you’ve never even been outside of your hometown before.”

“Of course I have.”

“Okay, so you’ve been to the next town over. For a little league baseball match. I’d hardly call that traveling, babe.”

“And that’s exactly why I should go with you!” he insists. “Before now I’ve never had a reason to leave. Hell, I thought I would live and _die_ in this frozen hell, and I was okay with that because nothing really mattered to me, but now _you_ matter to me and I want to be wherever you are.” Luke reaches down and lifts Ashton’s chin, forcing the other to look at him again. “Please tell me that you understand. You have to understand…”

Ashton gulps nervously but doesn’t look away. He doesn’t pull away, either.

“I… I do. I understand.” He pauses. “You really want to be with me? Even though you’ll miss your family?”

“You miss yours whenever you’re away, don’t you?” When Ashton nods, Luke grins. “Then I’ll survive. I have you, after all.”

It seems to be enough for now. In fact, it’s more than enough. Luke means everything that he says and Ashton knows it. He also knows that traveling with a companion would be much more fun and far less lonesome than traveling alone, so why not give in to temptation?

That’s what they end up doing now as well. Only this time Luke initiates the kiss, and this time, they don’t stop. Since it’ll be much, much easier for them to make-out while facing each other, Ashton proceeds to straddle Luke’s lap. It takes a bit of effort, though, with both of them being tall men with long legs and whatnot, and when Ashton accidentally honks the car horn, they both burst into giggles.

“Oops,” he says as he wraps his arms around Luke’s neck, still grinning adorably.

“Oops,” Luke repeats, smiling back at him, and then they’re kissing once again.

Kissing Ashton is all that Luke wants to do. He knew it from the first time that their lips ever touched, and he knows it now. They’ve both been so foolish throughout the night, bickering back and forth and letting awkwardness control them. Well, not anymore. They’re done with all of that nonsense and they’re ready to go after what they truly want.

What Luke wants is Ashton. All of Ashton. While they kiss each other slowly because there’s no need to rush, Luke removes his hands from Ashton’s hips and takes off his gloves. Once that’s taken care of, he slides his hands beneath the coat, the leather jacket, and Ashton’s shirt until he can feel bare skin. Ashton shivers at the touch, and Luke knows that the tips of his fingers are cold but they’ll be warm soon enough.

When Ashton pulls back enough to catch his breath, he’s smiling again.

“Wanna know something?” he asks, playing with the strands of hair that peek out from beneath Luke’s beanie. “I stayed here all these months because… well, because I didn’t want to leave you behind.”

To be honest, nothing makes Luke happier than hearing that Ashton had stayed because of him. He ends up mimicking the other man’s smile, feeling just as content in this moment despite their circumstances.

“I think I might’ve always known that,” Luke admits. “I mean, why else would you put up with all the snow if you had no reason to stay?”

Ashton nods. “You’re right. I fucking hate this white shit.”

Of course they both start giggling again, so much that it brings tears of joy to the corners of their eyes.

***

“Luke.”

“Yeah?”

“I think the storm is over.”

They’ve been kissing and talking and kissing some more for so long that Luke nearly forgot their current predicament. It appears that Ashton is correct, though. The harsh winds have come and gone, and though it’s still dark outside, it’s no longer blinding them.

They decide to test their luck. Ashton removes himself from Luke’s lap, and although Luke immediately begins missing the warmth that Ashton’s body had provided, he quickly gets over it and focuses on more important things, such as getting his truck to start. It comes as no surprise when the engine doesn’t cooperate the first time, nor the second time that Luke attempts to turn it back on. Ashton is crossing his fingers over his chest and holding his breath, hoping for a miracle. Not wanting to fail him, Luke whispers to the truck, begging it to take them home one last time.

On the third try, the engine finally starts.

“Yes!” Ashton cheers, and then he leans over to plant the biggest kiss on Luke’s cheek.

Luke smiles with pride, feeling as accomplished as he ever has. It’ll take a minute or two for the engine to warm up and provide them with heat, so for now, he turns on the windshield wipers to get rid of the built up snow that’s blocking most of their view. Hopefully the snow isn’t so deep that they won’t be able to actually move, but so far, luck has been on their side and Luke chooses to believe that it will continue to be.

“Does this mean that we can go home?” asks Ashton, sounding so hopeful.

“Yeah,” Luke tells him with confidence. “We’re going home.”

They make sure to go extra slow on the way to Ashton’s apartment. The snow really is especially deep now, but nothing too deep for Luke’s truck. He’s positive that his old metal friend can handle anything at this point, so he doesn’t worry about possibly getting stuck again. If anything, the snow should fear _them_.

It takes longer than it usually does, but they eventually arrive in one piece and neither of them contain their sighs of relief. Their hardships are over and now it’s time to get some fucking _sleep_ in the comfort of an actual bed. Well, technically it’s only over for Ashton. Luke still has to drive back to his house, though it’s just a ten minute distance on any normal day. He’s sure that he’ll make it alive because luck is still on his side.

“You gonna be okay?” he asks to break the silence. They’re still sitting in the truck.

Ashton nods while looking at his phone.

“Yeah, I’ll be fine. Since I lost my keys, I texted my neighbor and asked him to open the gate for me. He, uh, pretty much doesn’t sleep until six in the morning, so I know he’ll come through.”

Luke huffs out a small laugh, and then the silence returns to them. He hates to admit it, but things feel a little different now. Sure, being stuck together in a snow storm with no way of going home might change people, but still. Luke feels like there’s one more thing he needs to say or do before Ashton leaves him again, but he doesn’t know what it is and it frustrates him.

Doesn’t matter, anyway. Ashton’s neighbor texts back in no time, meaning that there’s no reason for Ashton to stay.

“Gate’s open,” he confirms, pocketing his phone again. Even so, he doesn’t move. Instead, he meets Luke’s eyes and says, “Thanks again, by the way. Y’know, for not leaving me stranded in a blizzard. Also, I forgive you for nearly getting us killed.”

Luke laughs again. “You’re welcome, I think?”

And then there’s silence.

More silence.

Luke is starting to hate the silence.

Thankfully, it seems that Ashton feels the same way. He licks his lips and starts to speak up again.

“So… you’re going back to your house, then?”

“Yeah, it’s not too far away. I’ll make it.”

“I see.” A pause. “Well, I don’t think you should go. Not yet, anyway. It’s too dangerous and you shouldn’t risk it.”

Before Luke can even attempt to argue with that, Ashton reaches out and takes one of his hands. It’s enough to make Luke feel as warm as the sun itself, and he decides that he’s never going to let go of this hand.

Ashton smiles at him.

“Stay.”

Luke smiles back.

“Are you sure?”

But then Ashton rolls his eyes.

“Of course I’m sure. I mean, we’ve already established what we are to each other, right? And how we really feel?” His mouth slowly curves up into a smirk. “Besides, I need someone to keep me warm and… well, you wouldn’t want to be alone on Valentine’s Day, would you?”

Luke nods, then shakes his head, then nods again. He’s not even sure of which question he’s trying to answer right now, far too eager to accept the offer that has been made. Would he rather make the painfully difficult drive back to his parent’s house? Or would he settle for sharing a bed with Ashton tonight, which will probably lead to more kissing and a bit of fucking?

Honestly, Luke had been completely wrong before. Some things in life _are_ easy, and this decision is one of them.

* * *

 


End file.
